Victorian resort reaches its height

1890s

By the 1890s, Littlehampton was a well-established seaside resort, with hotels, boarding houses, bathing facilities, a promenade, seafront gardens and the leisure infrastructure expected of a respectable Victorian seaside town. The resort attracted middle-class families from London and the Sussex towns, and the town's character was shaped by the seasonal rhythm of the holiday trade. The Duke of Norfolk's estate managed the development, ensuring an orderly and respectable resort environment.